6 BEST Motherboard For i9-10900k In 2023 [Performance, Budget]

Intel’s flagship 10th generation processor, the i9-10900k, launched in back April 2020. Its incredible boost frequencies coupled with a high core count of 10 physical cores make it one of the best-performing processors.

On top of that, the core count can be doubled thanks to hyperthreading, allowing the processor to reach a total thread count of 20 threads. The 10900k uses the LGA 1200 socket and has an L3 cache of 20MB and a base frequency of 3.7 GHz; it can boost up to a whopping 5.3 GHz.

It delivers solid single-core and multi-core performance, making it perfect for gaming and productivity. With all this added performance comes great power consumption. Pairing the 10900k with the wrong motherboard can lead to a significant performance drop; to avoid that, we are here to help you pick the Best Motherboard For the 10900k.

Take a look at our selections here:

Last update on 2023-12-14

The 10900k is based on Intel’s Comet-lake architecture and is rated to have a TDP of 125W. Intel continues to use its 14nm die for the 10900k, but it still delivers solid performance even with the limiting 14nm die. We also recommend going through our CPU Cooler For i9-10900k, to get best familiar. 

Before we tell you about our picks for the 10900k Motherboards, let’s take a look at 10900k’s complete specifications.

Intel Core i9 10900k Specifications:

• Total Cores: 10

• Total Threads: 20

• Base Clock Speed: 3.7GHz

• Turbo Clock: 5.3GHz

• Default TDP: 125W:

• Socket: Intel Socket 1200
• L3 Cache: 20MB

The increase in performance while staying at the 14nm die is achieved by boosting the frequencies; however, this boost in frequencies has led to a significant increase in temperatures.

Best Motherboards For i9-10900k

Here are the six best motherboards for i9-10900k In 2023:

1. MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk
2. MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE
3. ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming
4. GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX
5. GIGABYTE Z490 VISION G
6. MSI MEG Z590 Unify-X

MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk

Best Budget Motherboard For i9-10900k

Specifications: CHIPSET: Intel Z490 | MEMORY: 4 x DIMM, 128GB MAX (DDR4) DISPLAY OUTPUTS: HDMI, Display Port | REAR USB PORTS: 6 x USB 3.2, 2 x USB 2.0|  Network: 1x Realtek® RTL8125B 2.5G LAN + 1x Intel I219V 1G LAN,  | Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA III

MSI is known for providing motherboards with excellent VRMs and network connectivity. MSI has three separate lineups regarding motherboards, MPG, MEG, and MAG, which is their mid-range series made for people who want the best bang for their buck.

MSI’s Tomahawk series of motherboards are one of their most well-received series of motherboards, and rightfully so. With the tomahawk series, users get the most out of their money; this also seems to be the case with the MSI MAG Z490.

The MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk, as the name suggests, is part of the MAG series; it features a simple black and grey design,  which is identical to the rest of the tomahawk motherboards.

For RGB, MSI has gone with a single RGB strip under the PCH heatsink that can be controlled using MSI Dragon Center. It also has 16 pre-programmed modes, which can be adjusted using mystic light. Two RGB headers are provided at the top right corner of the board.

Unlike the rest of the boards for the 10900k, the MSI MAG Z490 consists of a 12+1+1 phase design, 12 power stages for the CPU, and one for the IGPU. The power design was referred to as Duet Rail Power Solution by MSI.

Furthermore, you can find a heatsink on top of the board with MSI branding on top of it. The heatsinks are made completely out of aluminum and have a grey finish. There are more heatsinks on the M.2 slots, which also cover the PCH heatsink.

The rear IO, which comes with an integrated I/O shield, features a large selection of ports which is always nice to see, especially on a board of this price category.

It consists of four USB 3 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3 Gen 2 port, and one USB 3 Gen 2×2 Type C port which is a surprising inclusion for a mid-range board like this one. As far as connectivity is concerned, there are a total of two LAN ports; both 2.5G and 1G are available. Moreover, an HDMI and Display port can also be found on the rear I/O shield.

In terms of storage, 6 SATA III ports along with two M.2 slots are available. The extra SATA III ports are always a welcome inclusion for anyone using SATA-based drives for extra storage. Speaking of M.2 slots, both of them have support for PCIe 3.0 x4.

Much like the rest of the Z490 boards, the MAG Z490 Tomahawk also has PCIe gen 4 support; there are also two  x16 slots available for your graphic cards; however, it only has support for AMD crossfire.

What We Liked

One thing that stands out about the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk is the number of features it provides at an affordable and attractive price range. The MAG Z490 tomahawk is one of the most affordable Z490 boards.

As mentioned, both of the M.2 slots are covered using the M.2 shield FROZR, which acts as a heatsink and protects the two slots. Overclocking with the tomahawk Z490 MAG is also not a problem because of its fantastic VRM thermal performance.

What We Disliked

What would have been a great addition to the MSI MAG Z490 is the inclusion of WIFI connectivity; However, unlike most Z490 motherboards, you can currently purchase the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk does not have WIFI. Besides the lack of WIFI 6, there is not much to complain about with the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk.

What Sets The MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk Apart From Its Competitors?

First, MSI has included Two LAN ports, which is not really something seen on other motherboards. Another thing that MSI has nailed is the selection of rear I/O ports; they have even gone as far as to include a USB 20G type c port which provides incredible read and write speeds. Due to its amazing phase design, it can overclock even the most power-hungry 10th generation processors. You may read our full review of the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk. 

Verdict

Overall, the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk is an excellent board that performs just as well as some of the higher-end Z490 boards. While the lack of WIFI might be a bummer, the two LAN ports make up for it. Due to its affordable pricing and fantastic features, we have deemed the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk the Best Budget Motherboard For The 10900k. 

MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE

Best Overclocking Motherboard For i9-10900k

Specifications: CHIPSET: Intel Z490 | MEMORY: 4 x DIMM, 128GB MAX (DDR4) DISPLAY OUTPUTS: HDMI, Display Port | REAR USB PORTS: 2 x USB 3.2 (Type C), 2 x USB 3 Gen 2, 4 x USB 3 Gen1, 2 x USB 2.0|  Network: 1x 1x Aquantia AQC107 10G LAN controller, 1x Realtek  RTL8125B 2.5G LAN controller | Storage: 3x M.2, 6x SATA III

As discussed previously, MSI has three different lineups for their motherboards; the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE falls into the third category, which consists of high-end motherboards with a premium price tag.

MSI’s GODLIKE motherboards are generally the highest-end boards that MSI manufacturers, capable of overclocking processors such as the 10900k to their limit, which is an extremely impressive feat. The MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE is no exception to this.

Starting with the aesthetics, the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE has colors that don’t stand out a lot, with a black and grey color scheme. On the back of the motherboard, there are a couple of backplates present, which not only support the entire board but also give it a premium feel.

Speaking of the design, the MEG Z490 GODLIKE looks absolutely stunning, with the merged heatsink that span over the two M.2 slots. In terms of the RGB, MSI’s dragon logo on the board’s top left corner features RGB lighting. Moreover, the RGB lighting PCH heatsink illuminates the entire bottom right corner of the board. 

What’s interesting about the MEG Z490 GODLIKE is the OLED screen situated beside the RAM slots. The OLED panel itself has a resolution of 176 by 48 and can be used to display temperatures, frequencies, or a custom GIF of your choice. MSI refers to this screen as the Dynamic Dashboard II.

For the power delivery, the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE consists of 16 power phases, each of which is capable of delivering 90A of power. The heatsinks and components around the CPU socket are spaced, providing you enough space to install a Budget CPU cooler of any size.

The MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE has an extensive selection of rear I/O ports, including 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 2 standard USB 2.0 ports, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports that are capable of providing transfer speeds up to 40Gbps.

Connectivity is also not an issue with the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE, which is expected from a flagship motherboard like this. It features a 10Gbps Aquantia controller along with an additional 2.5 Gbps Realtek RTL8125B controller.

For storage, the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE comes with six SATA III ports, which should be enough, but we expected to see more SATA ports for a board at this price point.

While the motherboard comes with three M.2 slots, an expander is present in the box, which can be installed in one of the PCIe slots. The M.2 Expander provides two extra M.2 slots; it comes with an aluminum heatsink and a fan for better thermal performance. 

What We Liked

The MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE is undoubtedly one of the most powerful motherboards one can purchase for the 10900k. The 16-phase power design on the VRM provides unrestricted overclocking capabilities.

Additionally, the inclusion of the M.2 Expander allows you to install a total of 5 M.2 NVME drives which can be useful for anyone working with larger files. Furthermore, both 2.5Gbps and 10 Gbps LAN ports are also present.

What We Disliked

The only major issue about the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE is its astronomically high price, which you should expect from high-end flagship motherboards; However, it is worth noting that for anyone not interested in overclocking the I9 10900k to its very limit, there are much cheaper options available that will get the job done. Another thing that would have been nice to see on such an expensive board is a rear-back plate.

What Sets The MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE Apart From Its Competitors?

The MSI MAG Z490 consists of a lot of things that are usually not found on motherboards, such as the OLED screen, which has a ton of functionality.

On top of the ability to add custom GIFs, you can also use it as a debug LED. In addition to the OLED panel, it also features two Thunderbolt 3 ports with transfer speeds up to 40Gbps. Overclocking is also not a problem with the Z490 GODLIKE.

Verdict

To sum up, the MSI MAG Z490 is a feature-packed motherboard; it consists of everything that you would expect from a high-end motherboard. It features over-the-top cooling capabilities, which allow it to overclock even something as power-hungry as the 10900k, which is why we have titled the MSI MAG Z490 the Best Motherboard For Overclocking The 10900k.

ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming

Best Mini-ITX Motherboard For i9-10900k

Specifications: CHIPSET: Intel Z490 | MEMORY: 4 x DIMM, 128GB MAX (DDR4)  DISPLAY OUTPUTS: Display Port, HDMI | REAR USB PORTS: 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0|  Network:  Intel I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Storage: 2x M.2, 4 x SATA III

Building a smaller form factor PC can be challenging given the less amount of space you have to work with. When going for a Mini-ITX build, you need to ensure all of your components fit inside your case without any issues; for that, you need a Mini-ITX motherboard.

This is where the ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-I Gaming comes into play; with its smaller Mini-ITX form factor and fantastic performance, it is capable of handling even something as power-hungry as the 10900k.

The design immediately stands out, with an all-black PCB and a massive heatsink on top of the board, which is connected to the VRMs using a heat pipe. Interestingly, the two M.2 slots are sandwiched between two heat sinks.

Upon removing the heatsink on top of the board, an extra PCB is found where you can mount the two M.2 slots. Moreover, it only has two memory slots which is something we expected to see on a mini-ITX board like this one. While we are on the topic of storage, it is also worth mentioning that it includes a total of 4 SATA III ports.

In terms of the VRM, ASUS has designed the ROG STRIX Z490-I Gaming with 8+2 power stages that should have no problems handling the I9 10900k. There is an aluminum heatsink situated right above the CPU socket as well.

As mentioned previously, the heatsink has an L-shaped Heatpipe that runs around the VRM, providing better heat dissipation. Furthermore, a custom fan around the VRM has a low noise level and does an excellent job of keeping the VRM cool.

For a mini ITX board, it features an impressive selection of rear I/O ports. It has 4 USB 3.2 Gen2 Ports, 2 USB 3.2 Gen1, and 2 USB 2.0 ports. Interestingly it also has WIFI 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. A 2.5G LAN port is also on the rear I/O.

What We Liked

The ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming offers great value with 2 M.2 slots and a total of 4 SATA II ports. Speaking of the M.2 slots, the heatsink on both of the M.2 slots has a unique look to it and also offers great functionality. In addition to the storage, there are also a total of 8 USB ports available on the rear I/O. 

What We Disliked

It is no surprise that the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I is extremely compact in size; with the compact size, you will have to compromise a bit on the CPU cooler clearance. Because of how close the RAM slots are to the cooler, it is an issue for larger coolers.

Moreover, the ROG Strix Z490-I is by no means a cheap card; you will have to bear the hefty price tag; however, the number of features it provides makes the board completely worth it.

What Sets The ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I-Gaming Apart From Its Competitors?

The 40mm VRM fan is not something you often see in motherboards, especially with an ITX one, and it does an excellent job of keeping the VRM temperatures low. Because of the low VRM temperatures, the ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming offers better overclocking capabilities than other ITX boards in this range.

Moreover, the inclusion of WIFI 6 and 2.5Gbps is a fantastic touch. ASUS has not ditched RGB for this board either; the ROG logo on top of the M.2 heatsink does light up as well.

Verdict

ASUS has done a good job in including this many features on such a small board. Its low VRM temperatures, unique design, and overclocking capabilities make it the Best Mini-ITX Motherboard For the 10900k.

GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX

Best Gaming Motherboard For i9-10900k

Specifications: CHIPSET: Intel Z590 | MEMORY: 4 x DIMM, 128GB MAX (DDR4) DISPLAY OUTPUTS: Display Port | REAR USB PORTS: 4 x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1 x USB 3 Gen 2×2 (Type C), 4 x USB 2.0, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2|  Network: Intel® 2.5GbE LAN chip, Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 | Storage: 4x M.2, 6x SATA III

The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX falls into the mid-range category of motherboards for the I9 10900k. It is based on the Z590 chipset, which supports both 10th and 11th gen processors right out of the box, making the AORUS PRO AX slightly future-proof.

GIGABYTE’s Aorus lineup of gaming motherboards feature some of the cleanest looking designs you can find, and that also remains true with the Z590 AORUS PRO AX.

For a mid-range motherboard, the Z590 AORUS PRO AX has a rather premium look to it, with a few more updates to the design compared to the previous Z490 board. It comes with a brushed aluminum finish, and it has a black and grey color scheme which is pretty standard for a motherboard from GIGABYTE.

Looking at the back of the motherboard, there is nothing particularly impressive present there besides your standard socket backplate. Unlike the previous products from AORUS, they have not focused a lot on the RGB aspect of the board, with only a single strip of LED present on top of the rear I/O.

For the power delivery, GIGABYTE has designed the Z590 AORUS PRO AX with a 12+1 power phase; the power stages have a rated current of 60A with a 6-layer PCB. A heatsink is found under the rear I/O, which is connected to the top heatsink using a heat pipe.

The heatsinks are adequately spaced, providing enough space for CPU air coolers; however, you will probably end up using an AIO liquid cooler for the 10900k. Speaking of liquid coolers, a PUMP header is also present besides the memory slots.

While the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX features a total of four M.2 slots, the last slot only has support for  PCIe Gen 3. Heatsinks are also found on top of the M.2 slots, which are used for cooling and protecting the slots. In addition, there are also 6 SATA III ports on the bottom right side of the motherboard. Moving on to the PCIe slots, only the top slot has support for PCIe Gen 4. 

In terms of connectivity, it has a 2.5G LAN port on the rear I/O which has become common, especially for Z590 and Z490 motherboards. Moreover, it also has support for Intel’s Wi-Fi 6 AX200, and an antenna is included in the box. It also supports DDR4 memory up to 5000 MHZ, which is not a surprise coming from a Z590 board; MSI has also included memory armor for the memory slots for more protection.

What We Liked

Starting with the design, the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX has a clean finish, with grey heatsinks on the M.2 slots, which add a premium look to it.

Secondly, the Z590 AORUS PRO AX has impressive specifications on paper, with 12+1 90A power stages capable of overclocking the 10900k while also providing stable clock speeds. While the VRMs might get a bit toasty under extreme load, they work perfectly fine for the most part.

The Z590 AORUS PRO AX is capable of all this at a relatively affordable price; it also has a decent selection of rear I/O ports with 2.5G LAN. Overall, the Z590 AORUS PRO AX is a pretty good motherboard for 10900k.

What We Disliked

While the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX features an impressive design, the simple lack of RGB was a bit underwhelming for us, considering that the previous gaming motherboards from GIGABYTE included a ton of it. 

One thing to note when considering the Z590 AORUS PRO AX is that only the first two of the M.2 slots can be utilized without splitting the PCIe 4.0 bandwidth which means using more than two PCIe slots will cause the first PCIe slot to use x8 instead of x16 which can cause a noticeable dip in GPU performance.

What Sets The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX Apart From Its Competitors?

The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX has a number of features that stand out, starting from the generous amount of ports present in the rear I/O that include 13 USB ports along with Type C Gen 2×2 ports.

Furthermore, including four M.2 slots and heat spreaders for all of them was a good move from GIGABYTE. Debug LEDs are also present, which can be helpful for installing the motherboard for the first time.

Verdict

Ultimately, the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX does a great job in handling the I9 10900k in both gaming and productivity tasks.

It has excellent features and is not as expensive as some of the higher-end Z590 motherboards. All of this makes the Z590 AORUS PRO AX from GIGABYTE the Best Gaming Motherboard For The 10900k.

GIGABYTE Z490 VISION G

Best White Motherboard For i9-10900k

Specifications: CHIPSET: Intel Z490 | MEMORY: 4 x DIMM, 128GB MAX (DDR4)  DISPLAY OUTPUTS: Display Port, HDMI | REAR USB PORTS: 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 (Type C)|  Network: 1x 1x Aquantia AQC107 10G LAN controller, 1x Realtek  RTL8125B 2.5G LAN controller | Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA III

GIGABYTE is a company that needs no introduction; their VISION lineup of motherboards have always had a huge focus on content creators. With the Z490 VISION G, it is clear that GIGABYTE has focused a lot on storage, rear I/O ports, and connectivity.

The GIGABYTE Z490 VISION G comes with a black and white design with aluminum heat sinks and a white rear I/O with VISION branding on top of it. Speaking of the rear I/O, it does come with an integrated back plate. Aside from the heatsinks, the PCB itself is completely blacked-out; the same goes for the back of the motherboard.

Moving on to the VRM, it features a 12-phase power design along with a 50A power delivery to each phase. To cool the 12-phase VRM, the previously mentioned white heatsink directly on top of the board is present. For the PCIe slots, the Z490 VISION G does have support for PCIe gen 4; however, that depends on the processor you are using. You may also get a White CPU Cooler & White PC Case for this type of motherboard. 

It consists of 3 PCIe slots, with the top one being x 16, the middle one being x8, and the bottom one being x4. Moreover, there are also two x1 slots available. It is also worth mentioning that support for both Nvidia SLI and AMD’s Crossfire is available, even though the trend of dual-GPUs has been on a constant decline.

There are a total of two M.2 slots underneath the shiny white heatsinks that not only keep the M.2 drives cool but also help protect them. Much like the motherboards we discussed, the Z490 VISION G also comes with 6 SATA III ports for 2.5-inch drives.

For the rear I/O ports, there are two USB 2.0 ports along with a ps2 port. In addition to the USB 2.0 ports, a total of four USB 3.2 Gen1 ports can be found here along with a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C port. Furthermore, another USB 3.2 Gen1 port can be seen on top of the Type C port and that is about it for the rear I/O. 

What We Liked

Gigabyte has focused on providing all the necessary features required for productivity and gaming. GIGABYTE has also included their thermal guard for the M.2 drives, which protects the slot and improves cooling performance. There are also a total of 10 USB ports available on the rear I/O, which means there should be no issues regarding the rear I/O connectivity either.

What We Disliked

One thing that did disappoint us was the lack of WIFI on the GIGABYTE Z490 VISION G; at this price range, most Z490 boards come with WIFI; however, a simple Wi-Fi adapter can be bought for cheap. With WIFI being common in even some budget motherboards, we were expecting to see it on the Z490 VISION G as well. This is also similar to the Z490 AORUS Pro we reviewed. 

What Sets The GIGABYTE Z490 VISION G Apart From Its Competitors?

What stands out about the Z490 VISION G is its unique design coupled with the RGB strip on top of the rear I/O. The White design not only stands out but will also be a perfect pick for anyone looking to build an all-white PC. GIGABYTE has also added a Q Flash button which allows you to update the BIOS without installing a CPU.

Verdict

Looking at the specifications, the GIGABYTE Z490 VISION G simply has it all, from the dual-layer PCB to the VRM, with a 12+1 phase design that is very capable in terms of performance. On top of all of this, it has a clean white and black look, making it the Best White Motherboard For The 10900k.

MSI MEG Z590 Unify-X

Best Z590 Motherboard For i9-10900k

Specifications: CHIPSET: Intel Z590 | MEMORY: 4 x DIMM, 128GB MAX (DDR4)  DISPLAY OUTPUTS: Display Port, HDMI | REAR USB PORTS: 8 x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1 x USB 3.2 GEN 2X2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2|  Network: Intel® Wi-Fi 6E AX210, 1x Intel® I225-V 2.5G LAN | Storage: 4x M.2, 6x SATA III

MSI has yet again made it on our list for the Best I9 10900k motherboard with their MEG Z590 UNIFY-X. With the Unify series of motherboards, MSI always has focused on improving the aesthetic of the board instead of loading it with RGB.

Following the same trend, the MSI MEG Z590 UNIFY-X also features a clean, unique all-black design. It uses the LGA 1200 socket, making it compatible with both 10th and 11th generation processors.

One thing that is apparent right off the bat is the cooling solutions that come with the MEG Z590 UNIFY-X, with a massive heatsink on the top right corner of the board. On the bottom of the board, the two M.2 FROZR heatsinks are arranged in a U-shape, covering both of the M.2 slots for extra cooling performance.

MSI has advertised the MEG Z590 UNIFY-X to provide top-notch performance, and while that does remain true for the most part, there are a few limiting factors, such as the inclusion of only two RAM slots. For the VRMs, MSI has used a 16+2+1 phase design which is sufficient for handling even the 10900k.

One thing to note about the four M.2 slots is that with the 10900k or any 10th generation processor in general, the top M.2 will not function at all; however, it is still nice to have if you are planning on upgrading to an 11th gen processor soon.

Aside from that, the other three M.2 slots are fully functional with the 10th generation. Furthermore, MSI has included a total of six SATA III connections which is standard for a z590 or even a z490 motherboard.

What We Liked

What stands out about the MSI MEG Z590 UNIFY-X at a glance is its elegant design, with an all-black PCB and hints of grey scattered throughout the heatsinks. Surprisingly, a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port is available on the rear integrated I/O, which can provide transmission speeds up to 20 Gbps.

In addition to the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port, the MEG Z590 UNIFY-X is loaded with USB ports. It comes with WIFI 6E compatibility, which is surprisingly missing from many boards in this price range.

What We Disliked

While the sleek and minimalist design stands out, the simple lack of RGB is something that some users might be concerned about. You are limited to only two memory slots with the MEG Z590 UNIFY-X, which might be a deal-breaker for some people; however, for average users that are not dealing with insanely heavy workloads or complex tasks, 32 GB running in dual channel mode should be more than enough.

What Sets The MSI MEG Z590 Unify-X Apart From Its Competitors?

The MSI MEG Z590 UNIFY-X excels at its ability to overclock RAM to extremely high frequencies. According to MSI, it has reached a whopping frequency of 7200 MHz with the KINGSTON HyperX Predator DDR4.

While you are unlikely to reach 7200 MHz under normal circumstances, it is still impressive to see how well the MEG Z590 UNIFY-X handles overclocking.

In addition to the remarkable memory overclocking, the 16+1 phase design on the Z590 UNIFY-X from MSI allows it to overclock the processor while also maintaining stable clock speeds. Moreover, VRM temperatures tend to stay low for the most part.

Verdict

In conclusion, the MSI MEG Z590 UNIFY-X offers excellent memory and CPU overclocking capabilities along with an attractive design that is bound to appeal to most people.

On top of all this, the outstanding VRM design and four M.2 slots make the MSI MEG Z590 UNIFY-X the Best Z590 Motherboard For The 10900k.

The Competition

Throughout the various assortment of motherboards you can find in the market, we have highlighted the ones that are the best for the 10900k. Despite our best efforts, if you are still not sold on any of these motherboards, whether it be for budget reasons, connectivity issues, compatibility constraints, or overclocking potential, you won’t have to go looking anywhere else as we have also taken the liberty to list out other worthy alternatives. While they could not make their way into the list itself, they are still quality motherboards you should consider if you are on the look for the Best Motherboard For 10900k.

While they may not be the best in any specific category, they are still praiseworthy motherboards capable of elevating the performance of your i9-10900k and ensuring your processor is given the power and respect it deserves. Price is something we will highlight once again as both the Z490 and Z590 chipsets can easily go out of a lower budget which is why you should account for a good and comfortable price range for these mothe

rboards as well, which, sometimes, try to strike a balance between price and performance.

MSI MEG Z490 ACE

The MSI brand has proven to be one of the best motherboard manufacturers. While we have already featured 3 of its products on this list, there could have easily been a fourth addition in the form of the MSI MEG Z490 ACE, which could not make the cut but still deserves to be talked about here.

If you are on the search for a decent motherboard that you can find for under $400, then the MSI MEG Z490 ACE is the ideal choice for you. Many Z490 motherboards can get expensive very fast, and the MSI MEG Z490 ACE offers you just the right price for a sturdy motherboard that serves as a good mid-range motherboard. We would go as far as to say the MSI MEG Z490 ACE is the Best Mid-Range Motherboard For 10900k.

Equipped with a powerful 16+1 phase PWM controller and an acceptable cooling solution, you will be easily capable of pushing your 10900k Chipset to its limits. When it comes to the design, the black and chrome theme is dazzling. It offers a nice aesthetic to the already sturdy-looking motherboard that tops it all off with a beautiful RGB lighting zone with the name of the motherboard visible within the heatsink of the chipset. Speaking of heat sinks, the MSI MEG Z490 ACE features 3x M.2 slots and a heatsink included. With this, you should be able to have an adequate amount of storage along with the cooling to keep it intact.

With 4 DIMM slots, 128GB maximum support, a phase controller, three full-length PCIe slots, and PCIe 4 support, MSI outdid themselves with this motherboard, and were it not for the rough VRM; it would have been a contender for the Best Motherboard For 10900k.

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA (Wi-Fi 6)

Another master in creating high-quality products is ASUS, which does not cease to amaze the world with top-tier motherboards brimming with performance and superiority. You have already seen the wonders ASUS has achieved with the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming and if you are still unimpressed, look at the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA.

Built for gamers who want to achieve a higher level of gaming and for people who generally love to overclock their systems, the ROG Maximus series strives to incorporate all manner of enhancements to boost the performance of your 10900k to new heights. The motherboard comes in with a very formidable VRM of 16 70A power stages, which use teamed stages. Along with this, you have the presence of 2 x16 mechanical slots, which are fed directly by the CPU.

Offering several liquid cooling features, the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA is the best in the cooling department and is the portion of the motherboard with the most emphasis. Despite the lack of radiator fan headers, you get thermal sensor headers and water flow sensors. Focusing more on the CrossChill Hybrid VRM, which has a hollow interior that allows liquid cooling lines. With proper utilization, you could add a full custom loop to include the VRM. While this does not fill the void left by not including radiator fan headers, it does place the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA as the Best Liquid-Cooling Motherboard For 10900k.

Being DIY-friendly is something ASUS has never shied away from; features such as safe slots and metal armored PCIe slots aid in the motherboard’s aesthetic, which is mostly covered in cladding, but the presence of the Livedash OLED paired with the RGB is a sight to behold. All of this works in the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA’s favor and helps it to separate itself from the rest of the motherboards in the market.

GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Xtreme

Amidst the plethora of motherboards GIGABYTE has produced, most, if not all of them, have always had a lasting impression on fans and customers. It is more evident when you see that we have already talked about two motherboards from the company. Although we did plan to include a third, it could not stack up against the rest of the formidable motherboards, which is why we will discuss the GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Xtreme here.

Performance-wise, the GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Xtreme is spectacular; it was quite difficult to find other motherboards which could exceed it because the GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Xtreme is amazing at unlocking the 10900k’s full potential, coming with a near-perfect CPU power design. With people’s sheer admiration for this product, many went out of their way to rebuy it for their future endeavors. Furthermore, you can expect this level of esteem for the product simply because it can reach its peak performance in overclocking while not having any of the traditional downsides, making it the Best Performance Motherboard For i9-10900k.

Featuring an excellent build quality and multiple temperature sensors, along with top-notch VRM cooling to boot, the GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Xtreme seemed like any other motherboard could not beat it. However, its fall from grace occurred when people started reporting random crashes and other related issues, which is why this product is not one of the main motherboards featured in our list. Additionally, a lack of SATA controllers did not favor the product. Ultimately, the GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Xtreme was held back by a few hiccups but can still enhance your system to new heights and offer you a competitive edge in gaming or any other work you do with your PC.

INLAND Micro Center Wi-Fi ATX Gaming Motherboard

INLAND’s range of products and accessories has been generating quite the buzz as of late, and it was only natural that one of their products would find its way into one of our reviews. In this case, the company has put forth an impressive motherboard built with gaming in mind and caters to the ATX side of the spectrum.

One of this motherboard’s biggest perks is that it is usually bundled with an Intel core i9 10900k, meaning if you were in the market for a new motherboard and a processor, then you have found an amazing deal capable of providing you with a heap of value. This value is also reflected in every aspect of the motherboard, which comes with 6 SATA ports and dual M.2 SSD slots.

Regarding connectivity, a wide assortment of USB ports and other I/O ports, along with the addition of wireless connectivity in the form of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, are given. The ATX form factor motherboard offers up to 128 GB of RAM that can reach up to 5000 MHz. All of this helps the motherboard amount to something that is almost certainly the Best Value Motherboard For i9-10900k and is perfect for those looking for high-end memory support.

Given the limited number of expansion slots, you will have trouble with storage, and the aesthetic of the motherboard has received mixed reviews, but what the motherboard lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in value. Regardless, for people who have a lot of data or want a flashy motherboard, the INLAND Micro Center Wi-Fi ATX Gaming Motherboard may not be for you, but for everyone else, it is definitely worth the look.

Our Criteria for Selecting Motherboard For i9-10900k

There are a few things you need to take into account before you pick a motherboard for the 10900, such as the form factor, storage, design, and 10900k chipset. 

Here are a few factors we considered when choosing the Best motherboard for 10900k.

Chipset and Compatibility

Before anything, you must ensure you choose the socket compatible with the 10900k. The 10900k is only compatible with LGA 1200; both the Z490 and the newer Z590 chipset can handle the 10900k without any issues.

VRM

The Voltage Regulator Module, or the VRM, is an essential part of the motherboard, used for controlling and adjusting the voltage delivered to the CPU.

The VRM determines the overclocking capabilities of a motherboard; most Z490 and Z590 motherboards mentioned on our list of the Best Core Intel I9 10900k Motherboard come with well-equipped VRMs.

Connectivity

It is really important to ensure that your motherboard offers enough connectivity options to meet your requirements. There should be plenty of rear I/O USB ports, enough headers to connect all of your components into, and extra ARGB headers if you are interested in adding more RGB to your system.

Furthermore, SATA connections for spinning hard drives should also be present along with M.2 drives for all your storage needs. The addition of WIFI and 2.5G ethernet is always nice to have; however, some higher-end boards also come with 10G LAN ports.

Form Factor

Motherboards are available in different sizes, ranging from mini-ITX to E-ATX. The size of the motherboard you end up going with depends on the case you have. Generally, full tower cases have support for up to E-ATX motherboards whereas, smaller form factor cases only support mini-ITX boards.

Budget

If you have a 10900k, you should be willing to spend a bit more for a motherboard if you want to push your processor to its utmost limits. With a higher budget, you should be able to get a Z590 motherboard; however, if you are not into extreme overclocking, then Z490 boards should also get the job done.

One thing to realize is that PCIe gen 4 support with the Z590 boards is only for 11th gen processors, so going for the older Z490 boards might be the better option for most people.

10900k Motherboard Compatibility

To start off, the Intel 10900k is only compatible with Intel’s LGA 1200 socket. The LGA 1200 socket does also have support for 11th generation; however 12th generation is completely out of the question.

As for the chipset, a Z490 or a Z590 chipset is recommended for the 10900k as both of those make use of Intel’s LGA 1200 socket. Higher-end chipsets are always recommended due to the amount of power the 10900k consumes.

Ryzen 5900x VS 10900k

The Ryzen 9 5900x comes in at a similar price point as the 10900k; however, the Ryzen 9 5900x is usually available at a slightly higher price than the 10900k. The Ryzen 9 5900x does have a higher core count than the 10900, with a total of 12 cores and 24 threads.

The 5900x is compatible with AMD’s AM4 socket and uses the superior 7nm architecture compared to Intel’s aging 14nm architecture. Furthermore, it has a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz and a boost clock speed of up to 4.8 GHz.

On paper, the Ryzen 9 5900x completely stomps over the 10900k, with its higher core count, superior architecture, and a higher L3 cache of 64MB.

What’s surprising is that the 5900x consumes less power than the 10900 due to its 7nm architecture. While Intel’s 10900k features a higher boost clock of 5.3 GHz, the Ryzen 9 5900x still annihilates the 10900k in both gaming and productivity tasks.

Moreover, the 5900x outperforms the 10900k in single-core performance as well. Unlike the 5900x, the 10900k comes with integrated graphics; however. For flagship processors like these ones, you are more likely to buy a separate dedicated graphics card.

With the 10900k, Intel has stretched the aging 14nm die to its very limit, and it’s impressive how well it holds up against the newer 7nm die; However, it comes with significant drawbacks such as the higher power consumption that leads to higher overall temperatures.

To sum up, the 5900x is the clear winner between the two processors and surpasses the 10900k in almost every task. You may go with the Motherboards For Ryzen 9 5900x article to get started. 

Ryzen 9 5950x vs 10900k

The Ryzen 9 5950x is AMD’s flagship processor that is based on AMD’s 7nm Zen 3 architecture. It comes in at a significantly higher price point than the 10900k and offers much better performance due to its higher core count of 16 cores and 32 threads. The Ryzen 9 5950x has a base clock of 3.4 GHz and a boost frequency of 4.9 GHz which is still less than that of the 10900k.

The sheer difference in specifications between the Ryzen 9 5950x and the 10900k make this a one-sided battle with the 5950x dominating the 10900k in almost every task. Even with the higher performance the Ryzen 9 5950x still has a lower TDP than the 10900k which is surprising.

Ultimately, The Ryzen 9 5950x is in a league of its own, comparing the two processors almost seems unfair. The previously mentioned 5900x is a much better compared to the 10900k because of their similar pricing and performance. If you are going for the latter, read our Motherboard For Ryzen 9 5950x. 

Z490 vs Z590

 Starting with the similarities, both the Z490 AND Z590 have support for 11th and 10th-generation CPUs from Intel. Both have support for DDR4 memory up to 128 GB and they use the LGA 1200 socket. That is about it for the similarities.

The Z490 chipset was known for its advance overclocking capabilities and works best with 10th generation processors. On the other hand, the Z590 improves upon the already capable Z490 chipset, offering better connectivity, PCIe 4.0 Support, and overclocking. The main highlight of the Z590 is the PCIe 4.0 support, Moreover, Z590 also supports USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 which is capable of providing transmission speeds up to 20Gbps. Keep in mind, that for the 12th Generation, you need Z690 Motherboards.